Mirror
by LeKat
Summary: I was lucky to be free of the pyre, but I wasn’t so sure that these new arrangements would be any better." Bree's story if she was not killed by the Volturi at the end of Eclipse.
1. Chapter 1

**Set in the newborn vampire's point of view. Bear with me, the majority of this chapter is based on Chapter 25 in Eclipse but it will start to move after that. All text in bold comes directly from the book.**

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

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I was lucky not to be on the pyre. All the same, I held no trust for the six other vampires in the clearing. Maybe the one in charge really would keep his promise, but judging by the huge amount of purple smoke behind me, I doubted that he would do me any good if the others decided to attack.

The other blond one was watching me closely, almost crouched in front of me. I had just begun to examine him more closely when I smelled it: blood. And not just any blood. This was the scent we had been searching for, the entire purpose of our journey.

The girl came into the clearing in the arms of yet another one of them. His snack? This new vampire looked strong and he would undoubtedly use that strength to protect his property, but I didn't care. I had to have her. I could feel my nails digging into the rock-hard skin of my legs as I fought against my instinct to attack. Ravenous as I was, I had enough of my mind left to know that I did not want to end up in flames.

I held myself back for a few more moments, watching the group talk but unable to concentrate on their words. This torture was too much; I threw my head back and screamed wildly with frustration and longing.

Immediately, the blond one came closer, hovering over me in preparation to attack. I cringed away from him, my hands clawing at the ground in an attempt to control my vicious yearning.

"**Have you changed your mind, young one?" **The leader was here now, talking to me. I worked hard to pay attention to his words. **"We don't want to destroy you, but we will if you can't control yourself."**

"**How can you stand it?" **I groaned at him. Being kindling didn't seem so bad right now; my throat was already on fire. **"I **_**want**_** her."**

"**You must stand it," **said the leader. **"You must exercise control. It is possible, and it is the only thing that will save you now."**

In response, I clutched at my head, trying to block out everything, especially my raving thoughts of the girl's mouthwatering blood, or how it would feel to sink my teeth into her neck….

I did not notice the arrival of four new, cloaked vampires until one of them was speaking to me.

"**You there. Your name."**

I looked over at the oddly childlike female who had spoken and felt my face freeze. This one was dangerous, worse even than the ones who had so efficiently destroyed my coven. I cringed internally at the subtle malice in her eyes.

As if to prove me wrong, she smiled gently at me. I had barely enough time to register how ironically angelic the smile was before agony ripped through me. I felt myself arch off the ground, shrieking and writhing as every nerve in my body burned. This was almost as bad as the change. Certainly it was more pain than I had ever expected to feel in this body.

And then, mercifully it was over. The pain stopped as suddenly as it had come and left me gasping.

**"Your name**," the female repeated.

"**Bree," **I forced the word through my throat.

My tormentor smiled again and the anguish made my screams return. When it ended, I added a new word to my mental description of this creature: evil.

"**She'll tell you anything you want to know," **said the one with the human. He was holding onto her protectively. **"You don't have to do that."**

Through my residual shock, I managed to feel surprised. He had no reason to protect me when I still couldn't keep my eyes off of his pet.

"**Oh, I know," **she answered him with a grin. The word "sadistic" added itself to my list of her personality traits.

The female began to ask me questions. I answered them without hesitating like I had when she'd asked my name. I would do anything if it meant that smile stayed off of her face. They were questions about our numbers, our motives. If I were not so intent on avoiding pain, I would have scoffed. Like any of _that_ mattered anymore.

Finally she finished with me and turned back to the others. It was one of the worst things she could have done. Now that the threat of pain was gone, I had nothing to distract me from the girl. I began to compulsively claw the ground again, leaving deep furrows in the earth.

"**We could explain the rules to the young one." **Young one? They were talking about me. I forced my attention back to their words. **"She doesn't seem unwilling to learn. She didn't know what she was doing."**

"**Of course," **the leader agreed with the auburn-haired one, the one with the human, who seemed to be his second in command. **"We would certainly be prepared to take responsibility for Bree."**

The female paused, considering. Her expression was torn between amusement and obstinacy. Finally, amusement won out. A wry smile crossed her lips. "All right," she said in a voice almost as angelic as her torturous smiles. "Let's see what you can do."

I did not trust her face or her words. Neither did the others. I could see their wariness and shock as they watched the cloaked figures disappear back into the woods and leave me to my new fate.

Quickly and silently, the auburn-haired vampire led his pet out of the clearing and away from me. I breathed a small sigh as her scent lessened. The urge to spring up and kill her was still strong, but it was easier to control with her gone. I was tempted to smile in relief but then I looked up and met the strange yellow eyes of the remaining vampires. Every one of them was staring at me cautiously and now even the leader seemed uncomfortable.

I was lucky to be free of the pyre, but I wasn't so sure that these new arrangements would be any better.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to all of you who reviewed:)**

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

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The leader approached me first, his strange, copper eyes soft and his hand outstretched in an offer to help me onto my shaking legs. "Are you all right?" he asked me.

I stared at him in disbelief. Compassion? I had never seen, or expected, compassion from one of our kind before. Numbly, I took his offered hand, got to my feet, and nodded in response to his question. The nod wasn't a lie; apart from the shock, I was perfectly fine. I guess being a vampire has its good points.

"My name is Carlisle Cullen," the leader turned slightly and gestured at the others grouped loosely behind him. He pointed to each of them in turn. "This is my wife, Esme, Emmett and his wife Rosalie, Jasper and his wife Alice."

Mentally, I rejoiced for one more benefit of vampirism. Had I still been human, I would have already forgotten their names. Because I was not paying attention to identifications; I had a much more pressing question on my mind. I took the chance that they would kill me for insolence and asked aloud, "What about the other two? The other one and the human girl?" I couldn't help the excitement that crept into my voice at the end.

Carlisle's eye's tightened and I immediately regretted my question. I cringed back and waited for the attack to come.

It didn't. To my surprise, Carlisle did the opposite and gave me what I imagined was an encouraging smile. I couldn't be sure. That emotion didn't fit on the face of a vampire either. "Don't be so eager about Bella," he told me. "She is not a meal."

"I will kill you myself if you touch her," said the other blond one, Jasper. I didn't like Jasper.

Carlisle nodded solemnly in agreement.

I felt my own eyes tighten. Note to self: don't breath around Bella. The idea went against everything I had ever been taught.

"We'll explain everything when we get home," said Esme, Carlisle's mate.

Explanations were good. Once again, I nodded. I liked nodding, it was safe, it eliminated the possibility of saying the wrong thing.

"All right," Carlisle turned to address his coven. "Alice?"

The small, spiky female closed her eyes and her face became completely devoid of emotion. "She won't run," she said with her eyes still closed.

Huh? No, I did not have any intention on running, mostly because I knew that I wouldn't get very far if I did. But how could Alice know that?

"Okay then," said Carlisle. "Follow us.

I'd automatically assumed that Esme had used the word "home" as a very loose term. I expected them to run through the forest until they found a familiar clearing and then settle down just like I had done with my own group.

I was wrong.

Instead, they led me to the most beautiful house I had ever seen. It was huge, white, and Victorian, more of a manor than a house. They walked inside comfortably and I followed, intrigued. I would have been even more impressed with the interior had I not smelled her.

She was here, the girl Bella. My muscles immediately tensed and I made an effort to hold my breath. But how could I? There was no way I could deny myself that wonderful smell and the taste that would surely go with it. I began to crouch…then felt a restraining hand on my shoulder.

I jerked up and found myself face to face with Rosalie. She was almost unbearably gorgeous up close, even with those strange, golden eyes. It made me self conscious even though I knew that my own looks were exceptional. "She's not here."

I felt the confusion on my own face, "But how…"

Rosalie cut me off. "Bella is here often enough that her smell lingers. You'll get used to it," she wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Eventually."

I gave her a slight smile of appreciation, glad to find that she sympathized.

She did not return the gesture. "Come with me."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks again to everyone who reviewed. You guys are great.**

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

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Rosalie led me to a room that was furnished in such a bland way it could only be a spare. I luxuriated in the feeling of a deep, unrestricted breath; there was no human scent to fight against in this room.

I would have preferred if only Rosalie had come with me. I was feeling stifled in the presence of all these new vampires but, of course, Carlisle was there too. Apparently it didn't matter how many differences I had counted between this coven and mine; their leader wasn't going to delegate either.

Rosalie gestured for me to take a seat on the bed and then pulled up a chair in front of me. Carlisle stayed by the door, so I decided to turn all of my attention to Rosalie and ignore him. I figured that if he was my new leader, it would be the only chance I'd get to do so.

"How long?" Rosalie asked me and for the first time, her expression was soft.

I didn't have to ask what she meant. "Three weeks. It was…" I shuddered, remembering the change and how close I had come to reliving the pain of it less then an hour ago.

Rosalie gave me a solemn nod. This gesture did not stand out to me for its understanding; even in my coven the change was something that was discussed with sympathy.

She continued, "Do you remember your family?"

I hesitated, examining once again the blackness that stood in the time slot before the pain like a solid wall. "No."

Rosalie's face was still soft, but her smile held an edge. "Don't worry. In time it will come back to you." The smile abruptly disappeared. "Or maybe you'll get lucky and you won't remember at all."

In the awkward silence that followed, I took the opportunity to listen to the rest of them, all whispering downstairs.

"What do you think?" the voice was deep. Deep usually meant big so it must be Emmett's.

Someone snorted. "She'll stick around until she makes a mistake. She won't last long."

"Jasper, don't," said Alice gently.

"How about you then?" asked Emmett.

"I don't know," Alice said slowly. I could almost imagine her eyes closed, her face completely blank. "I can't see it," she said finally.

I wanted to be angry with them. What gave these strangers the right to sit around and discuss my future? I wanted very badly to be mad, but I just couldn't manage it. The word "mistake" implied that there were rules. I didn't know how long it would take me to break one either.

Carlisle must have sensed my tension because suddenly he cleared his throat and stepped away from the door. "We're here to answer any of your questions. All you need to do is ask."

I immediately opened my mouth, but then snapped it shut. I had never been allowed to ask questions before. His request was probably a trap.

Carlisle sighed and moved closer. "You need to understand something: we are not going to hurt you. There is no reason for it. You are young and you are curious. Tell us what you want to know."

For the first time since becoming a vampire, I felt as if I could trust someone. I stared at Carlisle, wondering what made him so different. I wanted this to be my first question, but I held back and instead asked, "How does Alice know what I'm going to do before I do it?"

"Alice can see the future," said Rosalie, smug. "As soon as a person makes a decision, she can see the outcome."

A light bulb went off in my head. That was why our attack had failed so miserably, why they had been waiting for us. They had known exactly where we would be. Alice was no less dangerous then the other one in the clearing. "What about that female? The one that…" I trailed off, unable to finish the horrifying thought.

Neither of them needed an explanation. The twin grimaces they now wore told me that they knew exactly who I meant.

"That was Jane of the Volturi," said Carlisle. "She uses her ability to cause pain without mercy and enjoys doing it. Do not cross her."

I fought an insane urge to roll my eyes. That was the one thing I had figured out for myself. "What are the Volturi?"

"Our governing body. They make the rules and we make sure to follow them."

"Or else we'll end up like your coven," Rosalie added in an undertone.

I ignored her. I didn't need any more reminders about the viciousness of our kind.

I thought for a moment before asking my next question, afraid that I might hit a nerve and cause the ending of our discussion. "And what about…your eyes?

Instantly Carlisle dropped his casual facade and became serious. I could tell by his shift that this was the most important question of them all. "All vampires' eyes take on this hue when they abstain from human blood and drink from animals." He said the words slowly, allowing each one to sink into my consciousness.

I felt my jaw drop open. _What?_ I wanted to shout the word aloud but I was too shocked. How was that possible? I hadn't even been able to hold my breath against the smell, how would I be able to keep my instincts at bay? My control in the clearing had been a fluke, I was under no delusions about that. I continued to gape at them, questioning their sanity. Maybe the animal blood drove them mad.

"That is our condition," said Carlisle, ignoring my reaction. "There will never be human blood here."

"You can accept it or join your friends," this time Rosalie made no attempt to lower her voice. Carlisle did not disagree with her.

Slowly, I forced my mouth closed. Was an eternity of life really worth denying myself my natural diet? I wasn't so sure.

Then I remembered Jasper, how confident he was that I couldn't make it.

But I had already made it once. I _had_ fought off my craving in the clearing hadn't I? It had been close, and of course, then there were seven vampires ready to destroy me if I didn't, but I had succeeded. And it didn't seem like the threat of destruction was going to leave me anytime soon. If I had managed it once….

I made up my mind then. I would prove to these strange creatures that I was stronger than I looked.

"I'll do it."


	4. Chapter 4

**Appreciation for this one goes to my unofficial beta who does not let me give her half as much credit as she deserves.**

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

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I spent the rest of the long day alone in my room. Or at least I guessed that it was my room now. If this was a join or die situation the least they could do was give me my own room.

It was a treat to be alone, especially in a space away from the human smell. Granted I could still hear the rest of them downstairs, but the walls and floors separating us were more than I had ever gotten with my own coven. My _former_ coven. I was one of them now, a Cullen. I was still having trouble wrapping my mind around what that really meant.

As soon as they'd left, Carlisle with an encouraging smile, Rosalie with a challenging glare, I could feel the thirst more clearly than ever. How was I going to ignore it? I was beginning to doubt that I really could. Carlisle said that they—that we—would drink from animals, but I didn't think that it would be enough for me. I had caught animal scents before and they were far from appetizing. Maybe it wasn't enough for them either? The thought gave me hope. If Jasper could do it, so could I.

It wasn't until late the next night that I was shaken from my thoughts. I had learned quickly to ignore the daily noises of the house and even the occasional conversations that centered on me, but the noises that broke my concentration were different from the others: a door opening, closing, and quick footsteps moving up and down the stairs.

It had to be the other one, the male with his human! I harbored an intense curiosity about him so as the tinkling of music notes reached my ears I made my way downstairs.

The smell hit me as soon as I opened the door. I took a few short breaths of it and practiced ignoring my desire to crouch for an attack. In a few minutes I managed to control myself. Barely After that I decided to give myself a break and stop breathing altogether. I didn't want to press my luck.

When I reached the ground floor, I was both surprised and relieved to find the new Cullen totally alone. He was sitting at a piano that I hadn't noticed earlier, playing with confident skill. I wondered if the others had left _because_ this one was here.

"They left because they prefer their rooms at night," he said without looking up from the keys. "It gives them some sense of normality."

For a moment my brain stopped working. This was probably a good thing since this vampire seemed able to read my mind. I groaned internally. No wonder we had been told that our thoughts weren't safe. Here was yet another reason that I was the only one left.

Fingers still flying, he chuckled, amused by my distress. I wished that I still had enough of my human memories left to know if I recognized the sweet melody.

"You wouldn't know it," he said. "I wrote it myself." He brought the composition to an end then turned on the bench to face me.

I realized then that I didn't even know his name.

"It's Edward."

I would have been annoyed that he kept answering my unspoken thoughts if it hadn't been so convenient. If I didn't have to talk then I didn't have to breathe.

A dark shadow passed over Edward's face, probably because he knew that his girl was just a meal to me. "Don't," he said. The word came out as a snarl. Instantly I understood that Jasper would be nothing to this one if I ever hurt Bella.

Again my curiosity was spiked. Why did he—why did all of them—care so much about this human?

Edward sighed. "You don't remember anything of your life before, do you?"

I chanced a breath, steadied myself, and said, "No." I was getting tired of explaining this.

"Then you couldn't understand."

My next words were sharp, annoyed. He hadn't answered my question. "What is she to you?"

Edward smiled. It was a beautiful smile that touched his eyes and made his whole being come alive. It was a smile that I had never seen a vampire wear.

He didn't answer me at first. He was suddenly lost in his own thoughts, staring at the outstretched fingers of his left hand with that smile still on his face.

In a flash, I understood. "You're _married_?" I blurted, appalled. I had to force the human word through my lips.

Edward looked up at me and his grin turned triumphant on his crooked lips. "Not yet. She's my fiancée." He glanced at his fingers again.

"But…" I stumbled for words, highly aware of his eyes on me. "How can you love her? How can you stand to be close to her? The smell is-,"

"There are no words for it." Edward stood and walked over to me. "But the person behind it is even better." He placed one hand lightly on my shoulder and used the other to tilt my chin up so that I was forced to meet his eyes. "I learned, and you will too. I won't lie and tell you it's easy. It's not. It's a hard fight. But you will learn." We held eye contact for a moment and then he stepped away. "I need to get back," that grin was back on his face. "I don't like leaving her for long, I just came for a change," he tugged at his shirt in a casual manner but his eyes were still scrutinizing me seriously.

I was confused. If he missed her that badly, why stop for the piano?

He laughed. "How else was I going to get your attention?" He winked once and then became more serious. "It is the one thing that I sometimes miss. But it's worth it if I get to be with her." The dreamy look crossed his face again.

"Go on," I told him wearily. I couldn't stand to look at such happiness any longer.

He smiled one more time and disappeared.

Slowly, I walked over and sat on the deserted piano bench.

I could not understand these creatures. How could Edward be in love with a human? The only strong feeling I could remember since the change was blood lust. I would not hesitate to kill any human that I came close to. Was it really because I couldn't remember what it was like to be human? Was I now incapable of love?

I sat there, contemplating my disturbing thoughts until morning, oblivious to the girl's smell on the air. As the first rays of muted sun began to lighten the room, I came to a conclusion: Edward was very lucky.


	5. Chapter 5

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

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I was running again. After two days of being cooped up in my room it was nice to be on the move. It was natural. It felt good to be back in the forest too. At first, I had enjoyed the sensation of having a roof over my head, but the thrill had worn off fast. Being sheltered just wasn't the same when you didn't need things like bathrooms, refrigerators, or protection anymore.

The best part was being away from the mirror. I hadn't actually noticed the small, gold-rimmed thing behind the door until after my talk with Edward. I immediately decided that they had intentionally placed it there so it could mock me.

The creature I saw in that mirror was beautiful. I knew this, but I could not focus on it. Because behind the beauty was a blood-thirsty monster. Could that monster really be me? Could I do anything to change it? I'd still been trying to convince myself that I could when Rosalie had dragged me out of my room to go on this hunt.

Rosalie was not with us now, even though she had wanted to come for the express purpose of keeping an eye on me. Instead, I was alone with Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper. I figured they had checked with Alice before we left; there was no other way they would have let me off with such a light security force.

Meanwhile, all of the girls were probably back at the house working on wedding plans and Edward would be with his girl. I shook my head in a combination of disgust and awe. There were some things even my enhanced vampire mind could not comprehend.

Ahead of me, Carlisle stopped the group. I looked around in confusion. There were no identifying markers here to signal a halt, this stretch of trees looked exactly like the rest. Thankfully I caught the scent before I needed to ask what was going on.

I recognized the smell: animal blood that was no where near as strong as a human's or as sweet. It did not send me into my typical frenzy but I was thirsty enough that for the first time the odor was appealing to me. I wanted it, _needed_ it. If nothing else, two days in front of a mirror had let me watch as my eyes grew steadily darker. They were completely black now, visual proof that thirst ravaged my throat.

I crouched down, waiting silently as the animal drew closer. But as I prepared to pounce on the unsuspecting beast, Jasper grabbed my arm.

"Wait," he said.

I growled at him, hating his effort to restrain me, and wrenched my arm away.

Jasper was stubborn. He grabbed me again. "Wait," he repeated. He gripped me tighter and I felt suddenly, unnaturally calm.

I had enough of my own emotions left to be startled by the sudden change. I reared back and this time, Jasper didn't fight. Instantly, the placid feeling disappeared. Great, another one with powers, just what I needed.

"You need to control yourself," said Jasper.

"Why," I did nothing to hold back the growl in my voice. His demand was stupid. Controlling myself would only mean I'd need to go further to chase the animal down.

"If you cannot fight _this_, you will have no chance when it is a human on the other side of those trees," said Carlisle. I had forgotten he was here.

I showed Carlisle some courtesy and actually thought about his words for a second. Then I deemed them as worthless as Jasper's. Nothing could be worth listening to when my prey was feet from me and my throat was on fire. I launched myself through the foliage before they could make another attempt to hold me back.

I barely registered that my next meal would be a bear before my teeth were around its throat. I killed it quickly then proceeded to greedily drain its blood. The warm liquid tasted like it smelled: weak. Still, I expected it to relieve the burning. It didn't. The fire was merely masked, soothed slightly but ready to flare up again at the slightest agitation. I was left longing for more to drink even after the bear was dry.

I pulled away from the corpse, alarmed because my desire was not satisfied; it was stronger. A noise alerted me to a new presence and I went into another crouch. In my frenzy, I hoped for prey even though my other senses told me that the new arrivals had no blood.

I did not straighten when my chaperones came to stand next to me.

"Do you feel better now?" asked Jasper, his tone thick with sarcasm.

I stayed silent. I wasn't about to admit that he was right.

"This is why you need to listen," said Carlisle. "Animals will never satisfy you like a human would. You will never get through this if you try to convince yourself otherwise."

This time, the words meant something. I had been expecting a satisfying meal and had learned the hard way that this was not the way to get it. This animal was not enough. I needed an animal that walked upright on two legs. I never would adapt with these thoughts in mind, but I knew now that I didn't want to. The mirror had been right: I was a monster.

But I didn't care anymore.

Humans meant nothing to me. My name wasn't Edward. I needed to be satisfied. I had to get out of this mad house and if they destroyed me in the process then so be it. I would rather be turned into smoke than eat another bear.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks so much reviewers, you are all really wonderful :) **

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

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The males were ready to run back to the house right after they'd finished their own hunts. Now was the time to act if I had any intention of getting free.

So far, I had refrained from actually coming up with an escape plan. I knew that as soon as I did, Alice would inform the others and I'd be dead. Without an actual plan, Alice would only see my _desire_ to get out and think no more of it. They would already anticipate that I would be frustrated. She wouldn't take me seriously. Or at least that's what I kept telling myself.

Regardless, I knew that even if they had prior warning, it would be easier to get away from just three of them. I needed to keep them out here and away from the others.

"Maybe we could stay," the perfect touch of meekness crept into my voice. It was a reflex. I had never been in a position to offer advice and my instinct against doing so was strong. My reaction added nicely to the charade.

Three pairs of astonished, golden eyes glued themselves to my face. I wasn't surprised by their reaction. After my experience earlier this request would be the last thing they would expect from me. Still, I was startled by their intensity. They were paying too much attention now. I hoped my acting skills were up to par.

"I just wanted to try again," I hung my head to imitate embarrassment. "I really do want to learn."

I grew nervous when they didn't answer and was forced to look up so I could read their faces.

Carlisle and Emmett had bought the act. They both sported similar expressions of understanding and sympathy. As usual, Jasper was the problem. He was still studying me, searching for a flaw in my performance.

I knew that on the outside I had played my role perfectly. If I'd failed, Carlisle and Emmett would never have believed me. But what if Jasper had seen something that the others hadn't? Maybe I'd twitched at exactly the wrong moment and given away my lie. It would all be over before I even had a chance.

_Stop it,_ I scolded myself. It was a good thing Edward wasn't here too or Jasper would be the least of my problems. _Nothing's wrong. Relax._

"Are you all right?" Carlisle asked me.

I wanted to hide my face in my hands since I was obviously failing to hide my sudden tension. I fought the urge and settled for staring at the ground again. "I'm just….thirsty," it was a weak excuse but one they would easily accept. I offered them an apologetic smile for emphasis.

"Carlisle," said Emmett. "We should give her another chance."

"Of course you'll get another chance," Carlisle agreed without hesitation. His tone was so encouraging that I looked back up to watch him. He was looking at Jasper and Emmett with a patient gleam in his eyes. "If this family only gave one chance most of us wouldn't be here."

He walked toward me and I automatically cringed away from him. I was surprised to find that the action wasn't necessary. When Carlisle placed his hand on my shoulder, it was far from the restraining touches I usually received. Even when Edward had gently held my shoulder it was not like this. Edward's touch _had_ been gentle but it was also very firm. His obvious intention had been to keep me in place. Carlisle's touch was different. It was soft, fatherly, it's only purpose was to offer me comfort. It almost made me feel guilty about my upcoming betrayal.

Almost.

By the time night had fallen, we were steeled in a small clearing. I didn't see any point in stopping for the night but decided it had less to do with the lighting than the fact that each of the males now had a phone in their hand. They were spread far enough apart that if they had been human, they wouldn't have been able to hear each other. I wanted to laugh at them for their ridiculous attempt to provide an illusion of privacy. It was pointless. From my place on the far end of the clearing I could hear every word of their conversations with their mates.

But I wasn't about to argue. Let them have their fun. It was time for me to start thinking of possible plans. Not an actual plan, that would be suicidal considering who Jasper was on the phone with, but I did need options. Now that it was actually time to act I needed all the ideas I could get.

I had no doubt that they would be on me the second I made a move. To make matters worse, there was no way to convince them to let me go off by myself. It wasn't like I could tell them to give me privacy for a bathroom break. Whatever I did would mean fighting all three of them. I didn't like my odds of winning that fight. On the other hand, I was absolutely positive that I could win a one-on-one battle….

Finally, I had a plan and I wasted no time in carrying it out.

I approached the males slowly, putting on another act. I expected them to be agitated with me for interrupting their phone calls, but my worry was needless. They were standing close together, talking amongst themselves now instead of on the phones. I cursed myself for not noticing the shift. I was not as observant as I gave myself credit for. What else had I failed to see?

"What's wrong, Bree?" asked Carlisle. Another wave of almost-guilt assaulted me as he said my name with concern but I shook it off.

"I was wondering if I could take a walk. I don't like staying still." Thankfully I did not have to fake restlessness. My feet shuffled of their own accord, truly ready to move into action.

"I could take her," Emmett offered eagerly. "We're not close to a population, she won't get into trouble." He looked to Carlisle, asking for permission. I kept my face blank even though I wanted desperately to show my disgust. Emmett's actions only made me more anxious to get away from covens and authority.

"Go ahead," Carlisle said, unperturbed by the idea of me leaving. "Don't go too far."

I smiled at Carlisle with genuine gratitude. Of all the Cullens, I might actually miss their leader. Maybe I would do him a favor and make an honest effort not to kill Emmett.

I did not look at Jasper as I followed my chaperone out of the clearing. An eternity away from him would not be long enough.


	7. Chapter 7

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

* * *

After a while of quiet contemplation at an unbearably slow human pace, I decided that I was glad that it was Emmett who had come with me. I honestly had no desire to hurt Carlisle and I never wanted to fight Jasper again. I repressed a small shudder at the memory of our last encounter. I had seen Emmett fight too and knew that he would not be an easy opponent, but I was willing to take my chances against the brute strength that was his battle technique.

Emmett finally broke our silence. "You know," he said, "this animal thing actually does have its advantages."

I ignored him. His words were not important. I'd already made up my mind. I drowned out his voice and began to contemplate the best way to take him out. Obviously, relying on my strength and going for the head on approach wasn't going to work, I'd already found _that_ out. Maybe if I just went for his legs it would by me some time to run and I could leave him alive. I wouldn't need much time, just enough to get out of the forest and find a place with witnesses. Then they wouldn't be able to touch me, not without exposing themselves. Of course, this plan had an ulterior motive: witnesses were tasty.

I could still hear Emmett rambling on. I had to give him credit for his persistence; he was _still_ trying to convince me that their diet was better. "Honestly Bree," he was saying now, "it's nice to have a family agai—"

I didn't give him the chance to finish the sentence. With all of my strength, I whipped my leg around and brought my foot crashing directly into his knee. The force of the blow sent him flying into a nearby tree. I heard the wood crack as Emmett dropped to the ground with a soft grunt of pain. I had done a good job; the knee was bent awkwardly under Emmett's clutching fingers. I advanced, meaning to mangle his other leg so that he was truly incapacitated.

I didn't make it.

Before I could take the two necessary steps, a marble had grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back. My wrist made an unhealthy snapping noise. I let out an ear-piercing shriek but it was out of anger, not pain. I'd barely felt the action. I struggled violently against my attacker and in response he snaked an arm around my throat in a stranglehold that would have easily killed a human. I kept fighting but it was no use, my captor knew exactly how to keep me contained.

"Don't make this harder on yourself," I could feel Jasper's breath in my ear.

The last thing I was about to do was give up and make it even easier for them to kill me. I thrashed my head wildly, trying to bring my teeth into contact with Jasper's skin. If I could bite him, the sting might make him loosen his grip and then I could run for it. Judging by the numerous scars on his arm I wouldn't be the first one to try it. I quickly dropped that train of thought. I didn't want to imagine what had happened to those others.

Impossibly, Jasper's grip on my arm tightened and an unusual feeling of weakness flooded through me. It took me a few, precious seconds to realize that I felt tired. The sensation was as blissful as it was frightening. I knew that Jasper was doing this, that in this state I had no hope of protecting myself. But regardless of my situation, a small part of me was marveling as it tried to hold on to the feeling. I had never expected to be tired again.

My will power was draining. I was on the verge of giving into the lethargy when Carlisle walked through the trees directly in front of me.

"Are you all right?" I had heard the question come from him before but this time Carlisle wasn't talking to me.

"Yeah," Emmett replied. I scowled weakly. His voice wasn't even strained. He pulled himself lithely to his feet, grinning. I hadn't hurt him at all. "You two are slow," he told the others. "She wasn't supposed to get a shot in."

Even through my weakness, an electric shock jolted up my spine at the words. They knew. They had known all along. I had never fooled anyone.

I examined my attackers' positions more carefully. One in front of me, one behind. Their placement was perfect for closing in on me. Their prey. It had been a trap and I'd walked right into it. Worse still, I hadn't even suspected that they were there. Too bad I wasn't going to get a chance to hone my senses.

"Bree," Carlisle sighed, truly upset as he turned to me. "I don't want to do this."

Jasper snorted, the sound low in my ear, and I knew that he would have no trouble being the executioner.

Other than a faint growl, I disregarded Jasper and kept my eyes on Carlisle. "I know," I told him. Despite what was about to happen, I did not regret meeting Carlisle. "I'm sorry." My earnest words were not a lie this time. I felt a real need to apologize for the faith and kindness he had wasted on me.

"I am too," said Carlisle. His words were just as sincere as mine. Then he fell slightly behind Emmett and they moved toward me.

I closed my eyes tightly, imagining the purple smoke that my dismembered body would produce…..then they were on me.


	8. Chapter 8

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

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I waited with bated breath for the first blow to land. Or maybe there wouldn't be any blows. Perhaps they would simply tear off my head and get it over with.

When nothing immediately happened I cracked an eyes open, morbidly curious.

Carlisle and Emmett were standing barely a foot from me with wide eyes and slackened jaws. They were making no attempt to attack. Behind me, amazingly, the pressure around my neck loosened until it disappeared altogether. I wanted to run, but could still feel the slightest pressure of Jasper's hand around my wrist.

"What happened?" asked Emmett. A tinge of nerves marred his usual bravado. "Where is she?"

For the first time in my memory, Carlisle's voice was sharp. "Jasper?" He spit the name through his teeth.

"I…don't….know…" replied Jasper in disbelief.

I didn't know either. What were they _talking_ about? It would be stupid to say that I wasn't grateful for more time and, more importantly, Jasper's loosened grip. Still, their behavior bothered me. It didn't make any sense. With difficulty, I held back a scoff. Since when had the Cullens ever made sense to me?

Now that I could move my head I looked around, trying to find what had triggered their panic. Other than the nervous—no, not nervous, the males were truly frightened—looks on the vampires' faces, nothing had changed in the short time I'd had my eyes closed.

Carlisle was still tense. "Can you sense her, Jasper?"

_Sense_ me? There must be more to Japer's power than I'd thought. I imagined him looking for me, his face going blank just like Alice's when she watched the future.

Jasper was growling, "I can't feel _anything_. It's like she was never here." The words came out hard and frustrated but I could hear the confusion that permeated them.

I could understand the emotions in Jasper's last sentence better than the actual words. He might as well have spoken them in a foreign language. They didn't make sense either.

"She had to have been here," said Emmett. He looked as stupefied as I felt. "Look at your arms."

I felt Jasper's head tilt as he looked down at the place where his hand was still ghosting over my wrist. I would be able to run now; Jasper was not actually touching me anymore, his fingers merely hovered over mine. But instead of running I looked down with him. I wanted to know what could possibly be seeing that had alarmed them so suddenly.

With paralyzing shock, I realized that the problem was what they were _not_ seeing.

Jasper's arms looked awkward because they were empty, as if he had tried to restrain the air. I raked my eyes down the entire length of my body but saw nothing. I had disappeared.

But that was impossible. I was _here_. I could clearly feel the ground under my feet and hear the rush of Jasper's quickened breaths in my ear. I definitely hadn't moved and yet…

"Invisible," Carlisle breathed the single word almost to himself but his next sentence was shouted with earsplitting intensity. "Jasper! Don't let go!"

Jasper tried to regain his grip and the other two rushed forward. I was faster.

Before any of them had a hope of reaching me, I bolted. I ducked around Jasper and sprinted away from the group as fast as I could.

I darted through the forest, the knowledge that I had an advantage coursed through me, making me run even faster in my elation. I was free. I felt lighter than I had since my new life began, like I was flying rather than running. I could not help the beaming smile that spread across my face.

After a while I stopped my mad dash and forced myself to concentrate on my surroundings. I was still in the forest but the rays of the rising sun were more visible here and I knew that the exit was not far away. I stood perfectly still, not even breathing, and listened for the sounds of approaching voices or footsteps. I didn't hear any. Cautiously, I looked down at my body for the first time sine I'd started running. I could only see the forest, even when I put my own hand directly in front of my face. I grinned. Even if the Cullens were following, they would not be able to see me. I reveled in the thought.

I took a deep, liberating breath and caught the scent of an animal close by, possibly a relative of the one I had destroyed earlier. This time the scent did not interest me, but it did bring my thirst back to the forefront of my mind. Now that my crisis was over I had plenty of space in my head to concentrate on my throat's aching dryness.

That was all right. I didn't plan on being thirsty much longer.

My first thought was to go after that girl, Bella, so that I could finally finish the job that my coven had been given. The bonus of this route was that it would also be a fitting punishment for the Cullens for trying to hold me back. Unfortunately I knew that I had to drop this idea. I wasn't worried about Alice anymore; if Jasper couldn't sense me than maybe she was incapacitated too. Regardless, Bella's was the last place I wanted to be because it would be the first place they would guard. Invisible or not, now that they knew what I was capable of, they'd be sure to find me if I went to her.

It only took me another short second to come up with a Plan B: I would simply head back to Seattle and continue my killing spree. By the time they realized I was not coming for their human I would have satisfied myself and moved on.

Slowly, I unfroze my limbs and began to move in the direction of the city, imagining the bliss it would be to finally satiate myself.

My victim would not see me coming and that could only add to the thrill of the hunt. They would be blind but _I_ would surely get to see the look in their eyes just before my invisible teeth sank into their neck.

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**Yes, the power is cliché and seems easy, but I swear there is a point.**

**Hope you enjoyed :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**I just realized that this chapter has no dialogue. Oops. Sorry about that.**

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

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Once I had decided on a direction I picked up my pace. Although I was optimistic, I really didn't know how long it would take the Cullens to figure out that their precious human was safe. I _was_ certain that it wouldn't take them long to piece together where I was headed once they did decide to come after me. They had to know where my coven had come from and it would be easy for them to guess where I was going. But it wouldn't matter anyway. With my new power in action they would never be able to find me. My additional speed was only necessary because once I reached my destination, I didn't want to rush. I wanted to savor my hunt before moving on.

I smiled widely when I finally reached Seattle. The sun was high now, illuminating all of my old haunts even through the thick cloud cover. It felt good to be back here and even better to be unrestricted while I took in the scent of a human crowd. I longed to kill them all, to make up for the time that I had wasted in the big, white house. But I would settle for just one. I didn't want to make it completely obvious that I had been here.

I crouched down on the edge of a small deserted playground even though I had no need to hide. The motion was instinctive, my hunting stance. With a pang of regret I realized that the children who should be playing here were probably still in school. Oh well, I didn't mind working a little bit harder for my prey. It would make the victory sweeter.

From behind the hedge that separated the park from the rest of the world, I watched a mass of humans pass in front of me on the sidewalk. Most of them were men, large, ugly males who were holding briefcases. They were all boringly similar as they hurried off to work or perhaps, ran _from_ it. I had an urge to spring at one and put it out of its miserly but thought better of it. If I grabbed one of the men now, there would be no way to avoid disrupting the rest of the crowd. That strategy would attract too much attention even if they couldn't see what had caused the disturbance.

Frustrated, I let out a loud sigh and then nearly found myself giggling when one of the males heard the noise and looked around comically to locate its source. Unfortunately for the humans, my levity would not last. Every passing second made the burning in my throat harder to bear. The thrill of unhindered hunting was wearing off. I needed to hunt _now_.

I was just about to give in and tackle one of the men regardless of the dangers when I saw her: a very slight figured female in dull-colored jeans and a t-shirt who was trudging valiantly through the stream of men. She had long blond hair that she had tied back messily at the base of her neck as if she couldn't be bothered to do anything more elaborate with it. Her bright blue eyes held a distant expression as she walked by slowly, her head down and her shoulders hunched. She was clutching the strap of her backpack so tightly that I could clearly see the faint pulse of blood in the veins of her knuckles.

It was that far away expression that made her look familiar to me. I had to have seen her before. The girl looked no older than 14 and I could not imagine that such despondency could exist in more than one 14 year old. All of the other teenagers I had seen on my hunts were happy and carefree. It didn't fit. Maybe it bothered me because face brought up unwanted memories of Alice. Jasper's mate got that same blank look when she had her visions.

I shook my head violently to get rid of my thoughts. They were insignificant.

I felt a moment of surprise and then the flow of excess venom in my mouth when the girl changed directions and entered the playground. Her eyes nervously swept the entire part, checking it to make sure that she was alone as if she sensed that she was in danger. She ignored the warning that her subconscious mind was undoubtedly sending and sat down on a swing, placing her backpack on the ground in front of her. She did not swing. She only sat there, her back to me, one hand loosely gripping the chain of her seat while she stared fixedly at her bag. Again that feeling of familiarity washed over me. I suppressed it. I would have plenty of time to figure out who she reminded me of when she was lying dead at my feet.

Silently, I crept up behind her, sniffing deeply. The girl's expression may be dead, but the blood coursing through her veins assured me that, for now, she was very much alive. The scent of was sweet on the back of my tongue, an appetizer for the coming meal.

I hesitated for the smallest part of a second before I grabbed her so. I relished the predatory emotions that were coursing through me, the power of them… Then I launched myself through the air.

I hit the girl's back and knocked her off the swing. Her breath left her in a huff when she hit the ground. She landed on her belly, but I wasn't having that. I needed to see her face. I flipped her over and straddled her, my knees locked restraining around her torso. I smiled at the naked panic in her eyes while I watched her scream for help and flail her limbs uselessly against a force that she could not see. The group of males on the sidewalk must have made it to their destinations or maybe they just didn't care about the screams. No one came to her rescue.

Gently, I reached my hand out and caressed her cheek. Immediately the girl stopped struggling, shocked into immobility by my intimate action. I continued the motion, trailing my fingers across the line of her jaw to tuck her hair behind her ear and expose her long neck. She began to cry softly. By now she was so pale that I worried she would faint and deny me the chance to see any more of her emotions.

I felt a sudden desire to reveal myself to the girl before she did pass out. I couldn't decide if it was because I wanted to see her shock when I appeared or more of her terror when she saw my full, monstrous self. With regret, I remembered that it didn't matter either way; I did not know how to become visible again.

I banished my thoughts and focused on the business at hand. I was done playing around. I breathed in her aroma on more time, my mouth flooding with venom. This girl's blood was almost as sweet as Bella's. Just as I'd imagined, I looked down into my victim's watery, panicked eyes before I leaned my mouth toward the exposed flesh of her throat. I was inches from her, my lips pulling back to free my teeth when I heard it.

"Please."

Her voice was completely void of emotion, but it made me rear back all the same. My prey had never begged me before. I had never given them the chance.

I looked at the girl's face again. She had stopped crying. Her original, distant expression had replaced the tears. I was appalled. It was as if she didn't care what happened to her.

And then a jolt of electricity ran up my spine, stunning me. Because I knew exactly who this girl reminded me of. This girl, who was alone and despondent, who's shoulders hunched defensively as she walked, was just like _me._


	10. Chapter 10

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

* * *

Finally, the girl did faint. Probably my sudden, unintentional return to visibility was too much for her. I didn't care. My craving to see her expressions was gone. My epiphany would be easier to deal with if she was unconscious.

Slowly, I released my hands from her shoulders and pulled my face back so I could stare more easily at the girl's features. It was remarkable really, she looked nothing like me and yet the sight of her had triggered a revelation.

I continued to stare while a very small portion of my brain wondered when the shock would wear off enough to allow me to move. The rest of my mind was trying unsuccessfully to wrap itself around the new concepts that were racing through my head. Or maybe they were old concepts. All I knew for sure is that they were _human_ concepts.

I made myself to take a deep, calming breath, one of the first ones I'd bothered with since oxygen became unnecessary. With surprise I discovered that the human scented air that came with the action irritated my throat but did not send me into the usual frenzy. The overpowering strength of my thoughts had driven my bloodlust almost completely away. It _was_ possible to control my instincts. On my own. Without a death threat hanging over me. Wow.

I breathed in again, slowly, testing this new control. Then my eyes went wide and I was on my feet. With the Cullen's distinctive scent in my nostrils, I was no longer paralyzed, but on full alert, my every nerve tingling. I wanted to crouch, to prepare myself for the attack I knew was coming, but I forced myself to remain upright. Crouching was my instinct for hunting as well as defense and I had no desire to accidently hurt the girl. It felt too much like suicide.

I was still scrambling to find a defensive position when the three of them came through the hedges. Our hunting party was back together, but it was not a happy reunion. We glared at each other in heavy silence.

I felt my familiar contempt rise as I watched them. They were completely relaxed. Even after everything I had accomplished, they refused to view me as a threat. I fought hard to drown the sensation. I did not want to hate them anymore. Not now that I understood.

"Bree," Carlisle broke our silence. His voice was back to the soft, understanding tenor that I had come to expect from him. But the reassuring tone did nothing to ease my tension. He wouldn't keep talking to me for long; he hadn't bothered during the last attack.

I wasn't going to be cornered again. It was time to take control of this situation.

I glanced back at the girl lying on the ground and heard the Cullens simultaneously step closer, afraid that I would attack her. I ignored them and focused on conjuring up the emotions—the human emotions—I needed to make myself invisible. It was harder this time because I had to think about it. Now that I knew what the emotions meant, a large part of me never wanted to feel them again. I suffered a nightmarish moment when I thought that it would not work but, eventually, I managed it.

I heard Jasper groan loudly, a satisfying sound. I looked up to find that the group was frozen. Only their eyes were moving, shifting wildly back and forth as they searched for any sign of me.

I watched in amusement as Jasper shut his eyes and his eyebrows furrowed. Then he blew out an exasperated sigh and turned to Carlisle. "She's blank again."

"Again?" Emmett moaned. He ran his fingers roughly through his hair. I thought he might actually grab some and pull it out. "Carlisle, where else would she go?"

"I'm still here," I told them. The words were low in volume but I forced every ounce of my determination into them. As I expected, they locked onto the sound of my voice and six golden eyes stared directly at the place where I was standing. I took a few steps back and to the right before continuing. "I won't kill her. I don't want to."

Jasper and Emmett merely found me with their eyes again, but Carlisle actually stepped toward me. "What _do_ you want, Bree?" he asked with a curious combination of frustration and fatherly concern.

I shrugged out of habit before remembering that gestures were useless. "I'm not sure." I moved back to my original position in a fruitless attempt to confuse them.

Unfortunately, my statement was true. Even with my new knowledge, my next step was unclear. I still didn't know if I would ever be able to commit fully to the group standing in front of me. I could never hurt _this_ girl, but I wasn't so sure about everyone else.

My thoughts and feelings could only be described in two words, "I remembered."

The effect was immediate. Their postures did not relax but each of their faces softened, even Jasper's. They were still tensed, ready for battle, but their expressions told me that they didn't actually expect a fight anymore. Not with this girl at least.

I continued awkwardly when they did not take the initiative. "I…..understand…." but I couldn't finish. I pulled my eyebrows together to show exactly how frustrating this was for me and again had to remember that they could not see me.

With a half sigh, half annoyed groan that probably told them my feelings better then the sight of me would have, I brought myself back to visibility.

Again, they reacted immediately, but this time they surprised me. I expected them to become even more apprehensive, but instead, they did the opposite and straightened until they were completely upright.

I relaxed too, not caring if my feelings were caused by Jasper's power. Most likely, it was Jasper's expression, not his ability, that was putting me at ease. I had never seen him look so unguarded, even his eyes seemed lighter in color. If _he_ had no plans to attack me, then I was safe. For now.

Carlisle moved so close to me that he blocked the others from view. I met his eyes without fear for the first time and realized with shock that I envied their golden hue.

"I understand why," I told him quietly. It was easier to talk to just Carlisle. "I need to learn how."

"She means it this time," Jasper said, his voice drifting over Carlisle's shoulder. I was offended by Jasper's obvious surprise. But then I reminded myself that I deserved his skepticism and let the feeling drop. The last thing I needed was another emotion clouding my head anyway.

"Do you?" Carlisle asked me.

It was a simple question, but still, I hesitated. Saying yes meant committing to their way of life. No more messing around. Telling them no meant death. I wouldn't try to run from them again. I was through with running.

I was also through with lying. Now that I knew who I was, who I _am_, it was almost impossible to lie to myself. And I knew now what I was capable of. I _could_ restrain myself and I was ready to learn how, regardless of how difficult it was going to be.

I looked down at the girl one last time. I wanted to say something to her even though I knew she couldn't hear. I stared at her for almost a full minute but I couldn't decide whether I wanted to thank her or curse her so in the end I remained silent.

Finally, I took a step away from Carlisle and looked each of the vampires in the eye.

Then, fully aware that my words would change my eternity, I spoke. "Yes, I do mean it," I told them, my voice strong with conviction. "I'm ready."


	11. Chapter 11

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

* * *

It wasn't as if I actually deserved lighter security, but as we made the trip back to the Cullen's home—_my_ home—I wished they weren't guarding me quite so closely.

The run back to the house was like an extended vacation compared to my run to Seattle. I was glad. It was nice to be running toward something instead of away from it for once. The fact that I wasn't running for my life didn't hurt either.

My face split into a broad grin at the thought. For the first time since my change, things were looking positive. Somehow, even knowing that I was only headed toward the decrepit, vampire version of life did not discourage me. But as little as I wanted to think about it, I knew I still had one more job to do before all of this was over. The idea alone nearly tempted me into invisibility.

The sight of the house looming through the trees sobered me even further. I came to a dead stop, an automatic response to stress.

"Bree?" my escort had skidded to a halt just ahead of me and Emmett's question held more than a small tinge of exasperation. His attitude would have been enough to make me want to knock out his other knee if I hadn't been so petrified. Suddenly I wished that they had succeeded in killing me in the forest. That would have been easier than the meeting that was about to take place.

I was comfortable with the vampires I had spent the last few days with. All right, so comfortable was pushing it, but I was at least relatively certain that they weren't going to kill me any time soon. I wasn't so confident in the rest of Carlisle's family. I had watched the females tear my coven—my_ old_ coven—limb from limb with as much confidence as the males. If they decided that I didn't deserve a second chance, I was dead. And then there was Edward to think about…. A violent shudder ran through me. It would only take him on look into my thoughts to discover exactly how close I had come to killing his girl. I would wish for death by the time he was through with me.

"Bree?" this time the question was soft, almost concerned. My head jerked up and I looked incredulously at the speaker.

Jasper was walking toward me. Automatically I backed away. I waited for his reaction to my unintentional insult, but instead of becoming offended he surprised me further by coming close and lightly, awkwardly touching my shoulder.

"If they can accept me, they will accept you." He kept his eyes locked on mine until I nodded. It was a grudging nod, but Jasper ignored my hesitation and pulled me firmly in the direction of the house. "Let's go."

Jasper began dragging me unceremoniously to the door. I had to use every bit of my newborn strength to get him to stop and look at me again. "What?" he asked and this time impatience did color his tone.

"Do they know?" I hated that the question betrayed my panic, but I shrugged it off. It was a stupid thing to worry about when Jasper already knew how I was feeling.

"Yes," Carlisle answered.

"Everything?"

"Yes. We don't keep secrets from each other." Emmett and Jasper nodded in fervent agreement.

"Of course not," I muttered. It would be almost impossible to keep a secret with Edward around. I groaned softly but they inevitably heard me and chuckled softly.

I broke Jasper's grip and moved forward with my head high in an attempt to preserve some dignity. Then I discovered that this meant I would reach the door first and I came to another abrupt halt. I stood on the threshold, gathering unneeded breaths as I tried to summon the courage to go inside.

It wouldn't be very hard. Not really. I'd walk in, face their glares, hope that Edward wasn't there, and then begin apologizing profusely. Maybe Jasper would even help when he felt that my apologies were sincere. It shouldn't be difficult. So why did I feel an uncertainty that was all too human sweeping over me?

Carlisle saved me. Again. He moved me gently aside, opened the door, and went straight to Esme. I followed him in uncertainly. Alice and Rosalie were there too, standing near Esme by the piano. I watched in wonder as Emmett and Jasper completely ignored me as they went to greet their mates.

An absurd feeling of loneliness overcame me. Absurd, but absolutely real. I wondered if I could ever be a part of this family. It seemed unlikely that the Cullens could ever really accept me as one of them.

But then Esme broke free of the happy crowd and threw her arms around me. I immediately stiffened under her touch. I couldn't help it. The gesture was just too strange coming from a vampire.

Fortunately, Esme sensed my discomfort and released me quickly. "Welcome home," she said warmly. I gave her a genuine smile in response. It was easy to smile at Esme.

I enjoyed an amazing moment when I thought that maybe, just maybe, a real home could be possible for me in this life. Then Edward walked through the door.

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**I am very well aware that this chapter could have been immensely better. Sorry about that.**


	12. Chapter 12

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

**

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**Involuntarily, I shifted out of the visible spectrum. It was my only defense. I was sure that not even my newborn strength would help me if Edward chose to attack.

The other males let out a series of exasperated noises.

Jasper slapped his hand to his head, "Not again," he moaned.

I stayed completely still, not even breathing, so that they could not track me by sound. I turned all of my attention to Edward, staring at him from the protection of my new-found ability. I was ready to run for it if I found any murderous intent in his expression, but I didn't see any. He _was_ angry, but the obvious curiosity on his face was dampening the emotion.

"No…" Edward slowly shook his head as he answered someone's unspoken question. "I can't hear her either."

I sighed softly, relieved that I had a place where my thoughts were safe. I instantly regretted the action. Every one of their golden eyes was now glued to the apparently empty spot where I was standing. I took a deep, shuddering breath through my mouth, let it out in a loud gush, and allowed them to see me again.

I avoided Edward's gaze and looked instead at Carlisle. "Sorry," I told him, and shrugged.

Thankfully, Carlisle appeared to understand that the shrug was as close as I would ever come to admitting that I couldn't fully control my ability. He nodded with one of his comforting smiles and gestured toward the stairs.

I grimaced. I didn't need to be Edward to know what Carlisle wanted.

It wasn't that I wanted to hide what I had discovered on the Seattle playground. In fact I suspected that talking about my past would make the Cullens believe that my strange new desire to control myself was genuine. But for some reason it was not Carlisle I wanted to tell.

Even though I was terrified to be alone with him, it was Edward that I really needed to convince. I thought about our nighttime talk by his piano and knew that he was also the only one who would truly understand me.

From the corner of my eye I warily watched Edward come closer. He walked to Carlisle without glancing at me. "I'll take her," he said firmly.

Carlisle hesitated for half a second before nodding. He looked disappointed, probably because he had wanted my story first hand. He also seemed cautious, unsure of Edward's motives. But Carlisle trusted his family and he moved aside to create an unobstructed path to the staircase.

I followed as Edward moved toward the stairs, but I stopped after only a few steps. I _really_ didn't want to be alone with him.

With one foot on the bottom step, Edward looked back at me over his shoulder and rolled his eyes.

I scowled again, this time in annoyance. I hated eye rolling.

"You can bring someone else with us if you'd like," his mouth twisted into a smug, all-knowing smirk.

_Stupid mind reader,_ I thought as loudly as I could.

The smirk turned into a grin.

Defiantly, I finished my walk to the stairs and turned my back on him to lead the way to my room. _My_ room. I could get used to that.

But all traces of levity vanished when I entered the familiar space. Now that it was actually time to talk about the last few days, I didn't want to do it anymore. It was not going to be an easy conversation.

"Sit down," Edward said. The unmistakable command in his tone told me that he had heard my hesitation and was not going to put up with it.

I lowered myself onto the bed and watched as Edward settled himself onto the same chair that Rosalie had used. Had it really only been less than a week since she'd been in here?

Edward looked at me expectantly. I forced myself to meet his stern eyes.

"I'm sorry," I said, surprised at the raw emotion in my voice.

I wondered how to tell him exactly what I was sorry for. I was sure that he already knew about my momentary plan to attack Bella—Edward's eyes darkened at the thought, confirming my suspicion—but I didn't know how to explain _why_ I had almost done it. I barley knew the reason myself. The memory was clouded by bloodlust. It had been so _strong_ at the time.

Edward exhaled loudly. When he spoke, his words were thick with resignation. "I understand. The thirst is so hard to control at your age…" He trailed off, suddenly distracted. I bit my lip, waiting. Then his expression abruptly changed from distant to fierce. His next sentence came out in a low, threatening growl, "But if you ever go near her, I will tear you apart."

I thought about the huge clouds of purple smoke on our battlefield and shuddered.

"I don't want to," I assured him. "Not anymore." I was planning to avoid _all_ humans, but I was going to be especially careful to stay away from Bella.

Edward's fury faded slowly. Trust did not take its place, but at least now I could be sure that he would not kill me unless I hurt his girl.

Edward grinned wryly, but otherwise ignored my thought.

"Why not?" he asked, responding to my verbal statement.

"Because," I shrugged helplessly. I had never been good at talking. "I remembered," I said again.

The words did not have the effect they'd had on Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett on the playground. Unlike them, Edward did not react as if those four syllables were the answer to everything. I bit my lip harder while Edward waited silently for further explanation.

I thought about Seattle, about what exactly had stopped me from killing that girl. I just couldn't describe it. There was no way for me to put my feelings into words.

"Show me."

"What?"

Undaunted by the incredulous look I have him, Edward repeated himself. "Show me. If you can't tell me…" he crooked one eyebrow at me, waiting for me to catch on.

I did, but I lingered for another moment. Carefully, I organized my thoughts while a small corner of my brain wondered if maybe mind readers weren't so stupid after all.

Then, slowly, I began to show Edward my past.

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**I finally filled out my beta profile, so if you are looking for a beta reader don't hesitate to ask. I promise that I am not slow with other people's work.**


	13. Chapter 13

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

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_Slowly, I began to show Edward my past_

No one else would recognize the half-sketched figure that lay on the paper in my lap. Not yet. Right now, only I understood that the subtle lines on the right would turn into a face. That the suggestion of shadow under the chin meant that my creation would be turning its head, neck exposed. Only I knew that the long, sweeping lines on the left would form the wings of my angel.

I smiled, pencil hovering over the paper, hesitating before drawing in her eyes. It wasn't that I was unsure of how to proceed, but I wanted to savor the moment just a little longer. As soon as I added the eyes, the mystery would end. When she had eyes, anyone would be able to see the angel. I stayed staring for just a few more seconds, admiring the beauty that only I could appreciate in the half-formed picture.

Finally, I moved my pencil to the paper and all trace of hesitation vanished. My hand worked quickly, confidently. These eyes would not be open and piercing like in some of my other art works. No, this angel's eyes were closed. She was at peace, happy, completely content with her universe. She had no worries or troubles….

The jarring sound of a bell broke me rudely out of my reverie. I jumped in surprise and then swore. My sudden movement had caused my pencil to slip and create an unwanted line. I knew that I only had five minutes to get to class, that it would take me almost all of that time to get there from my secluded hiding spot. Still, I stayed put, smudging the line with my finger and adjusting it so that the mishap was turned into a stray strand of hair. Only then did I scramble to my feet and gather my school bag and the empty candy wrappers that were the remains of my lunch. I was going to be late for sure now, but it was a small price to pay. It would be easier to order myself to stop breathing than to leave a mistake on my angel.

I walked quickly, practically running in my attempt to beat the next bell, but even though I had long since memorized the path from the far off copse of trees to my next class, I knew that it was no use. No amount of short cuts could help me now. Sure enough I heard another distant ring and scowled darkly. Suddenly leaving my picture marred did not seem so horrible.

My steps slowed as I reached the correct class room door and pulled it open as quietly as I could. It didn't make a difference. Every eye in the room turned toward me as if I had broken the door down in order to open it. Embarrassed, I lowered my gaze and went to my seat, hating the suddenly loud noise of my shoes on the tile floor. I muttered an apology to the teacher that he probably didn't hear as I sat down in the desk directly in front of his.

"Bree," he said, his exasperation barley hidden. He was still reading the roll sheet; he moved his hand upward to mark off my name with an aggravated twitch. "Rafael..." he continued in a bored voice.

I grimaced at the wood grain of the desk. Throughout the long weeks of school I had managed to memorize most of the roll sheets, or at least enough of them to know whose names were close to mine. Rafael's was only three or four spaces away and yet my instructor acted as though the need to backtrack even slightly was a personal offense.

I pulled a notebook out of my bag and began flipping for a blank page with unnecessary force. I had barely been late, and I knew that at least three more students were still on their way, but it didn't matter. They would still point and laugh about this incident later. The fact that I was never tardy would mean nothing, it would only encourage their ever present taunts. I wished that I was bold enough to offer a more verbal protest, but since my drawing hand was the only part of me that was confident I had to settle with violently ripping out my notebook page.

I sighed quietly and put pencil to paper once again, this time to take notes, or to pretend to anyway. I never actually paid attention in class; I always read the chapters in advance and probably understood them better than my teachers.

I tolerated the remainder of my classes in the same, inattentive manner. Staying silent made school days bearable. The teachers played along. They had quit asking me questions a long time ago, preferring to teach the students that actually needed their help. It was slightly more difficult to ignore my peers, especially after an incident like today's, but if I kept quiet and stayed far enough away they usually left me alone. It was the way I preferred things. I liked being invisible.

I picked up my belongings slowly when the last bell finally rang, but not because I had any desire to stay. The thought of just one more day in this place before the weekend was barely endurable. I was anxious to get home, but it was worth postponing my arrival to avoid mingling with the crowds.

Eventually I broke free of the campus and checked my watch. It was ten till three, I needed to hurry. Kriss would be out of school soon and she didn't like to be home alone anymore. It would not be a long trip, the apartment that I shared with my mother and younger sister was barely five minutes from the high school.

My home was small, but that had never mattered to me. It was still home, the place where I felt most comfortable. My shoulders straightened out of the defensive position they had held all day the moment I walked through the door. I was happy here, safe. It was the closest I would ever come to being like my angel.

I dumped my bag down on the already untidy dining room table then scoured the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator for food. There was nothing more substantial in them then peanut butter and jelly. Oh well. It looked like I'd be making a very necessary shopping trip later. Resigned, I began to make sandwiches for me and Kriss.

She came in just as I was clearing off enough space on the table to put our food down.

"Bree?" she called from the doorway.

She could probably see me from her position but I answered anyway, "I'm here."

Kriss tossed her backpack onto our shabby couch and threw herself into the chair across from mine. She dragged her plate closer and took an aggressive bite of sandwich.

"Bad day?" I asked her, though I already knew the answer.

Mouth still full, Kriss pulled a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and threw it on the table. I picked it up and gingerly smoothed it out. Kriss' latest history test had a large "D" printed across the top.

"Hmm," I said, but made no further comment.

At thirteen, Kriss was my miniature in almost every way. She had the same dark hair, the same brown eyes, same slender build. We even shared the personality trait of being rigidly stubborn. Still, the differences were clear too. I could see a hint of makeup on Kriss' face and her hair was laid in a careful style across her shoulders. My face on the other hand was completely bare, my hair tied messily at the base of my neck. The most obvious difference was written in red ink on the paper in front of me.

"Don't tell Mom," Kriss said once she had swallowed. She glared at me, daring me to object.

"Of course not," I scoffed. I loved my mother, but she had never learned to accept the fact that Kriss and I were two different people with two very different grade point averages.

"Sorry. I know you wouldn't," Kriss replied and took another, calmer bite.

"No problem," I assured her. I knew that Kriss and I were lucky. While I'd seen several pairs of siblings that couldn't stand each other, the closest Kriss and I typically got to a fight was the glare that she had just given me.

"I need to go to the store, want to come?"

Kriss wrinkled her nose and looked down at the table. "Couldn't you go later?"

I sighed, but I'd never actually expected a different answer. Kriss was nervous, scared even, about the recent disappearances and ominous newspaper headlines throughout the city. She used to love the freedom of an empty apartment, but now she would do almost anything to avoid being alone or going outside. She probably wouldn't even walk to school by herself if the bus stop wasn't so close. "All right," I told her, "I'll wait."

She smiled at me and I returned the gesture. Knowing that my sister was happy made delaying my trip acceptable.

I pushed away the remainder of my sandwich and pulled my school bag toward me. I had homework to finish, but instead I took out my half finished angel.

Kriss watched me intently, her interest sparked. "Something new?" she asked eagerly.

I gave her a noncommittal grunt and pulled the paper closer.

"Come on," she persisted in the wheedling tone she usually reserved for boys. "Please?"

Slowly I pushed the page to her. If she were any other person I wouldn't have done it. I was normally ready to guard my incomplete projects with my life, but Kriss was different. We shared everything.

"Oh wow, Bree." Kriss' fingertips traced the air above the wings with something very close to reverence. "This is your best ever."

"It's not even finished," I protested.

"Doesn't matter," she said simply and handed the paper back. "Finish it. I want to see the rest."

"I will. Go get your homework."

She rolled her eyes at me and popped the last bit of sandwich into her mouth. As dearly as I loved my sister, her eye rolling always made me want to smack her none too gently. I contented myself with picking up her test and wordlessly pointing at the grade.

"Okay, okay." She retrieved her backpack and randomly took out a book. "Finish it," she demanded once more.

"Yes ma'am," I chuckled and picked up my pencil.

We worked quietly for the next couple of hours with Kriss' occasional homework question the only interruption in the companionable silence. Kriss finished before I did but she did not talk, she just sat there and watched me. It was another example of how special my sister was to me. No one else was ever allowed to watch.

"There," I said finally. With one last flourish I signed my name in the bottom corner.

Kriss took the angel and examined it with a smug smile. "Told you so."

I playfully stuck my tongue out at her in response.

"I'll go put it away." Kriss jumped up and excitedly rushed to our shared bedroom.

By 'away' she meant the three ring binder and plastic protective sheets that I used as a makeshift portfolio. I rarely ever got to put away my own art; Kriss was always quick to volunteer so that she had an excuse to look at the rest of the pictures.

As I got up to turn on another light in the darkening apartment I heard the jingle of keys that always preceded my mother's arrival. People told Kriss and I that we got our looks from our father and every time I looked at our mom I understood why they said so. Mom was our opposite: blond where we were dark.

"Hi, Bree," Mom said wearily. "Where's Krystal?"

"In our room," I said. I dumped the rest of the junk off of the table and onto the floor before pulling out a chair.

"Thanks," Mom said. She sank into her seat without making any effort to loosen her waitress uniform. I felt a familiar wave of determination wash over me as I sat down next to her. As soon as I was sixteen, I would get a job too and then she wouldn't have to work so hard.

"How was school?"

I shrugged. "Same as always," _boring, useless…_

"That's good."

"Hi, Mom," Kriss had returned from the bedroom.

"Hey you," Mom said softly, but then her voice became abruptly more alert. "Krystal, did you get that test back?"

"Yeah. It was fine." I could see my sister fighting the urge to roll her eyes again in protest against the use of her full name.

Mom looked over at me for confirmation and I nodded once.

"I'm going to go," I announced, standing back up. Now that Mom was back, there was nothing to stop me from taking my shopping trip. "We need food." I heard Mom groan at the reminder of our low income. I ignored her and walked to the door with my own saved money in my pocket. "Be back in a bit."

"Bye, Bree," Mom called.

I started to turn around to wave at Kriss but she had already come over to me and latched her arms across my chest. "Be careful okay?" she said and I knew that she was thinking about the newspapers again.

I returned her hug. "Don't worry," I told her with a wink. "Love you."

"You too," she replied and reluctantly released me.

The weather outside of my home was surprisingly comfortable. The sky was actually free of clouds and I could see some stars. I walked slowly, enjoying myself. Still, I couldn't help noticing that the sidewalks were oddly empty. It seemed that Kriss was not the only one who was seriously worried about the headlines.

I found myself humming lightly, running my hand across the bushes that bordered my left side as I constructed a shopping list. _Milk, eggs, more bread, something bigger for dinner, Cheetos—Kriss really liked those…_

I was so distracted that I didn't notice the woman standing in front of me until I had almost run into her. When I did see her, I took a hasty step back. I stared, unmoving, as a strange combination of fear and jealousy coursed through me. I couldn't understand why I was afraid, but the reason for my jealousy was all too obvious. This woman was beautiful. No. Beautiful wasn't the right word, it wasn't strong enough. Her pale skin and wild red hair went far beyond just plain old beautiful.

"Hello."

She said the word softly, but it wasn't the same kind of soft tone that my mother had used out of weariness. This type of soft sounded dangerous. She could not have warned me off more effectively if she had screamed.

I suddenly realized why I was afraid of her. It was her eyes and the hungry way they roved across my body. The irises were barely darker than her hair and no less wild. This was not a sane person.

I took a few more steps backward. I wanted to run, but I was not very fast. I doubted that I could get very far if she decided to chase me.

She was shaking her head with a small smile now, as if she had guessed my intentions.

"Please," I said. I was starting to think that maybe Kriss' fears were not silly at all.

Then the woman moved. She was so fast that she became no more than a red and white blur as she threw herself at me. She had me pinned on my back in the bushes before my brain had the chance to register that my feet had left the ground.

"Please," I repeated, more urgently this time. I tried to struggle, but she was too strong. I was not going to get away.

The woman's smile widened and I saw her teeth for the first time. They were unnatural, glistening in the weak light of an overhead streetlamp.

"Please," I tried one more time, but the woman merely leaned closer to me as if to whisper in my ear. Her eyes were no longer red, but black and demonic like a shark's.

I turned my head aside as unbidden thoughts of Kriss and my mom sprang to my mind. I felt a single tear make its way down my cheek.

There was an incredible, sharp pain in my neck and I cried out. The woman pulled away, still smiling. Her teeth were outlined in a red liquid that I was horribly sure was my own blood. Slowly, obscenely, she began to lick them clean.

_Bitten in the neck,_ I had time to think. _How cliché._

And then my world was consumed in fire.

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**My profile picture is the angel that I imagined Bree drawing as I wrote this.**


	14. Chapter 14

**More thanks to all who have reviewed :)**

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

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I broke out of the memory with a jolt. I did not want to think about my change.

I could tell that Edward had similar thoughts; his eye were narrowed and his mouth was a thin, hard line.

"You know the rest," I told him quietly. I reached up to wipe my eyes and was surprised to find them completely dry. If I were still human they would have been streaming with tears. But I was not human. No matter what emotions were coursing through me, no matter how vulnerable I felt in this moment, that was the simple and unavoidable truth.

I looked into Edward's eyes and what I saw there shocked me. Sympathy. He felt sorry for me. It was yet another emotion that I had never expected to see on the face of a vampire.

Edward shook his head and responded to my verbal statement. "Not quite. Did she leave you there?" I could tell that he was only asking the question to do me a favor. I was sure he and his family had already pieced together the story of my old coven, but he was trying to distract me from my human problems by bringing me back to my reality.

His plan worked. I was keen for any excuse to stop thinking about my old life and I jumped at this new topic.

I shook my head to answer his question. "She must have moved me When it was over I was in the woods somewhere. I don't really remember anything else about it. Just the screaming." I shuddered and Edward's expression darkened. I pressed on quickly before I could lose my nerve. "I spent the next couple of weeks with the other newborns. There were only a few more created after me." I shuddered again, remembering their screams this time instead of mine. "It was very violent. There were a lot more of us in our camp than the number you actually fought. But we just kept…." I trailed off, finally unable to continue. With human emotions still very alive inside of me the thought of all that carnage was almost unbearable, especially when I remembered my own part in it.

"Killing each other off," Edward finished for me bluntly.

I winced and nodded but kept silent. There was really no point in retelling my origins; I knew that the memory of my coven's last battle was as fresh in Edward's mind as it was in mine.

Edward's lip curled up in a sneer and he made a noise in the back of his throat that was halfway between a groan and a growl.

"You still haven't answered my question," he continued after a moment. He was in control again.

I stared at him incredulously. What more could he want from me?

"You never told me _why_. Many of us have our human memories, but that doesn't stop us from killing. Trust me on that," he added the last words reluctantly, as if he were ashamed of them.

I wanted to ask what he meant, but thought better of it. Maybe, if I lasted long enough, if I could gain his trust, then I could ask the question.

"Maybe," Edward agreed with a wry grin.

I smiled back. It was a real smile for once, not just the ugly gesture of a satisfied predator that had found a home on my face so often lately. It felt good, almost like it had when I was around Kriss.

The thought brought me back down to earth and my smile abruptly vanished. As little as I wanted to, I kept my gaze locked on Edward's eyes.

"When I hunted that girl in the park," I stopped again when I felt a strange surge of concern for the human. "Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine," I could hear the amusement in Edward's voice. "Humans are all alike. Vampire stories are fine for entertainment, but they don't want to believe that we actually exist. She'll wake up and think that it was a hallucination, or that she was dreaming, or attacked and robbed, it doesn't matter which. Wouldn't you have done the same if Victoria," he said the name in a vicious snarl, "had not bitten you but just suddenly disappeared?"

I nodded vigorously. "Then I would have gone in for a CAT scan."

Edward laughed. It was such a happy sound that it made me instantly jealous. I wanted to be happy like that.

"Don't worry," said Edward, somber again. "Finish."

I went on without hesitation. I was eager to explain myself now. "When I attacked her, she said 'Please'. Just like I did. It just brought everything back. It was enough to make me pause and then I didn't want to kill her anymore. I couldn't. I realized that she had to have a family and friends and a life. I'd do anything to have a real family again. I just couldn't take hers away."

Edward grinned at me.

I was so shocked that I stopped rambling at once. "What?" I asked him sharply, the word was a growl. He was the one who'd asked. What right did he have to think my revelation was funny?

"You misunderstand me," Edward said without dropping the smile.

He reached forward and grabbed my shoulder. It was not the same, restraining touch that he had given me before. This time, Edward's grasp was reassuring and gentle, almost like the contact Carlisle gave me.

"You're going to be fine," he said kindly. He looked much more like the Edward I had talked to by the piano all those nights ago rather than the one who had come in ready to kill me for my thoughts about his Bella. I realized with astonishment that he really believed me now. He didn't trust me; we were still far away from the realm of trust and I knew that I would always need to give a wide berth to his fiancé. But regardless of that, he truly believed that my intention was to be good, or at least to try very hard to be good. And if Edward believed me, maybe I really did have hope.

Edward chuckled. "As long as you don't attack Emmett again you do."

I scowled darkly at the reminder of my rebellion. My failure angered me.

"What did I do wrong?" the question burst from me. It was something that had been nagging me even through my recent stress. My plan had been good. They hadn't even seemed to suspect anything. Not until they'd ambushed me, anyway.

Edward snorted, clearly enjoying my density. "Alice saw your plans and called Carlisle before you even asked to stay in the forest for another night. Not to mention that Jasper has been keeping a very close watch on you since you got here. It was easy for him to sense your deceit. Until you went invisible that is," he broke off, looking thoughtful.

I found my own eyes rolling before I could stop them. I'd underestimated them. It was as simple as that. My enhanced newborn skills were nothing compared to their experience.

"Guess I have a lot to learn," I said. I was surprised to find that I was not embarrassed by my admission. I was used to being on the top of my class. I did not usually need to learn anything. This was different. I _wanted_ to learn. I wanted copper eyes.

Edward stood suddenly, pulling me with him by his continued grip on my shoulder. "Come on," he said. "Time to start learning."

I balked at him. I had planned to move slowly, spend a few days up here contemplating my new life before I had to face the others.

Edward shook his head. "No more hiding. You're part of the family now."

I tried to give him an appreciative smile, but it came out more like a pained grimace when I remembered that the family included Jasper.

"Come on," Edward repeated, his tone was colored with impatience now. "Please."

It occurred to me that he had probably been here for half an hour, maybe a little less. Much too long to be away from his Bella.

"Okay," I told him. I squared my shoulders, willing the nervousness to go away. "Let's go."

Edward released me, moved to the door, and placed one hand on the knob.

I followed with my head high. I was going to face the others with confidence, to prove myself to them. Then I saw it and I stopped dead.

"Bree," Edward called me in exasperation.

I held up a finger to tell him to wait, but did not otherwise acknowledge his existence. I was too busy staring at the framed mirror next to the door to bother with Edward.

I had completely forgotten about the mirror and the time that I had spent staring into it, watching as my eyes turned black. My appearance was not much better now. My eyes were barely lighter after my disastrous hunt. My hair was disheveled and strewn with leaves and my clothing was torn in embarrassing places.

I bared my teeth and pulled my fist back. I wanted to smash the mirror, shatter it. I wanted to destroy the monster that was reflected in the glass. But I didn't.

Instead, I reached out carefully and straightened the frame. Then I turned my back on it and led Edward into the hallway. He raised his eyebrows at me quizzically, but did not comment. Then he followed me as I walked briskly down the stairs, ready to face my new lifestyle.

I would go back to the mirror later. I wanted to watch my eyes turn to gold.


	15. Chapter 15

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

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"Bree!"

I groaned and Jasper's eyes immediately flashed to me. Or, more specifically, to the patch of seemingly empty space that was me. The sketchpad on my lap had also disappeared. Interesting.

"Don't worry, Jasper," Alice's voice called from inside the house.

But Jasper's gaze did not waver; he was still too suspicious of me to immediately trust Alice. Much as I wanted to, I could not bring myself to blame him for it.

I focused hard on bringing myself back to visibility and, with considerable effort, I made it.

"Sorry," I told Jasper when he could see me. "It was an accident." Again. I hated to admit my weakness, but I knew immediately that it was the right course of action. My words caused Jasper's eyes to soften and he nodded, understanding.

He turned and went back inside the house. He didn't bother to apologize for assuming that I was running again. I didn't care. After the fifth time apologies became redundant. Not that Jasper really owed me an apology anyway. It was my own fault. My lack of control. If I were being honest with myself I would admit that I was worried. I couldn't even manage to control my thoughts. How would I ever be able to control my raging appetite?

I let out a frustrated breath and used almost all of my will power to keep my thoughts from straying back to my sister, the reason for my frequent lapses into invisibility. Almost all of it. The rest of my will went toward suppressing my burning thirst. Even after frequent, highly supervised hunting trips over the past week, I was still thirsty.

With difficulty, I pulled my eyes back to the paper in my lap. There was a landscape sketched there this time, a replica of the Cullen's—of _our_—backyard. I had been pleased to discover that my artistic talent had not disappeared with my humanity. If anything, it had gotten better. Even now I couldn't help but stare in awe at my own creation. It seemed that if I touched my penciled trees, their bark would feel rough.

I couldn't wait to draw a human figure. I wanted so badly to find out what one would look like with the help of my enhanced skills. But humans were the one thing that I refused to draw. They had always been Kriss' favorites. It wouldn't be right if she couldn't see one that I had made.

I gave my head a violent shake. That was the exact, human thought that had prompted my most recent bout of invisibility. I needed to control myself. Who knew how many more times Jasper could handle me dropping off his radar before he did something violent?

Suddenly, Alice appeared out of thin air and was sitting beside me in the grass. Had I been human, her abrupt presence would have startled me. As it was, I merely inclined my head politely in her direction. "Hi," I said with much less than my usual enthusiasm. I hoped she wouldn't think that my sour mood was a reaction to her visit.

"You miss her, don't you?" Alice asked without preamble.

I looked up at her in surprise and embarrassment. "Did Edward tell you that?" I shot back. It bothered me to think that Edward was spying on my thoughts, but still I hoped that it was true. It was better than the other option: that my moping had been obvious to everyone.

Alice raised her eyebrows at me and cocked her head in the direction of the house. I listened for a moment to the movement inside of it, but Edward was not there. I should have known as much. I hadn't seen Edward in the house since our last conversation. He was always with Bella. His human. I sighed. I wanted my human too, the only human that I could somehow manage not to think of as a meal.

Resigned, I answered Alice's original question, "Yeah, I do." Then, with a rapidity that was almost scary, I was furious. "Rosalie was right," I snarled. "It would have been better if I had never remembered." I threw the sketchpad from me, all at once hating the reminder of my past.

In a flash, the papers were on my lap again; Alice had brought them back.

"She's not right," Alice told me, ignoring my glare. "If it weren't for this," she traced a slim finger across my drawing, "you'd be dead."

I shook my head, not in denial but in frustration. I knew she was right. If I had not remembered, I would have followed my victim into death. The knowledge did nothing to help.

"I know," I admitted aloud, "but…" I hesitated, trying to find words for the feelings that had been haunting me. I honestly didn't even know if I _wanted_ to voice them. Alice watched me with patient eyes as I struggled. She didn't push me like the others probably would have.

"Tell me something?" I asked abruptly.

Alice smiled at me and raised her eyebrows in a way that made me sure she knew I was playing for time, but she nodded anyway.

"Is it always so hard? To control the extra…gift?" The last word escaped my lips with difficulty. It was hard to think of my weakness as a gift.

Alice nodded again. "Yes. Just like everything else, the abilities are stronger and harder to control when you're young. It will get easier. You're going to make it." She said the last sentence with total confidence. I wanted so badly to believe her.

"I'm not so sure." I took a deep breath and finally said the words, "I can't stop thinking about my sister. She has to miss me, probably thinks I'm dead." I shuddered at yet another image of Kriss, alone and hurt, watching as an empty casket was buried. "She _needs_ me."

"No," Alice snapped, suddenly fierce. "Not like this she doesn't."

I hung my head, ashamed. I knew that too, but it was so easy to delude myself. Especially when _I_ needed _her_ much more than I was willing to accept.

Alice scooted closer and threw one arm around my shoulders in a half hug. Instinctively I cringed away from the gesture of unexpected compassion. I still wasn't used to it. Alice just held on tighter, refusing to let me pull away.

"I know it can't be easy," she spoke hesitantly for once. I got the strange impression that Alice had never actually experienced what I was going through. She did not give me time to process the observation. Her next words came quickly, in the usual, confident way, "But you have a new family now. It will be safer for her if you let go."

I scoffed. "Edward has his human," my voice was bitter. I forced Alice's arm away.

"No comparison," Alice replied simply. "You have no idea how hard Edward has struggled, and _he's_ not a ravenous new born," she stared pointedly into my crimson eyes.

I gave her a scathing look for the reminder, but otherwise ignored her comment. I was convinced that I could do anything Edward could. I was tired of being the weak one.

"I just want to see her," I pressed, returning to my first point, "make sure that she's all right."

"You could kill her."

"Will I?"

Alice shrugged. "You've already decided to make the trip while you're invisible. I can't see you when you're that way. I know where you'll be though," she warned. Apparently my expression was too curious. "You're planning a location."

I ignored her again so that I would not have to admit that she was right. Such a plan _had _been forming in the back of my mind lately.

Alice took advantage of my silence. "What if you somehow manage not to kill her? Then what? What if she sees you when you're supposed to be dead? You said yourself that you can't fully control your ability. You can't rely on invisibility."

I didn't answer. I didn't like that her arguments were starting to make sense.

Alice continued her questions without pausing. "What if she's with other people or in a crowd?"

I blanched at the thought even as the burn in my throat intensified. The idea was as appealing as it was horrifying. I wouldn't be able to control myself around other people. "Kriss doesn't like crowds," I mumbled.

Alice went on as if I hadn't spoken. "What if she finds out what you are? You couldn't change her."

She might be able to see the future, but Alice was wrong about that one. I had no inhibitions about seeing my sister like me. In fact, changing Kriss was the one option that made sense to me. It would eliminate a lot of my problems. I shrugged at Alice, gaining confidence from her mistake. "Maybe I couldn't do it _personally_ but…" I stopped, confused by the pitying look on Alice's face. "What?" I asked sharply. I couldn't understand her expression and it made me nervous.

"No more newborns," Alice told me gently. "It's going to be hard enough with two. If your sister found out, she'd have to be killed."

I wanted to be angry. I wanted to rage and scream because I knew _exactly_ who the second newborn would be. But I couldn't. The thought of Kriss dead numbed every other emotion.

"Fine," I snapped, but the word came out less harshly than I had intended.

I jumped up, papers flying away from me, and ran back in the direction of the house, the last place in the world that I wanted to be. Alice had sense enough not to follow me so I stalked through the doors alone. My thirst flared savagely when Bella's scent, still lingering despite the time she had been absent, hit my nostrils. It was a very good thing that she wasn't actually here. Right now, there was no way I'd be able to hold back. I was completely out of control.

I bolted toward the stairs, holding my breath against the scent for the first time in days. I felt the stares of the others on my back, but they did not question me. No doubt they had been listening to the entire conversation.

I waited in the sanctuary of my own room until night fell, until the others would hopefully be too occupied with their mates to bother thinking about me. Then, carefully, painfully, I brought forward all of my pent up human emotions and intentionally turned myself invisible for the first time since I had remembered my past.

I held still, waiting for Jasper to come running in with Alice at his heels, telling him that this time, my change was on purpose. They didn't come.

For a moment, I merely stood there and savored the fact that all of my thoughts and emotions were private. Then I began to plan. Because regardless of the danger, I was going to say goodbye to my sister. I deserved that much.

I made myself visible only when my plan was set. I smiled when still no one burst through the door and walked to my new desk in the corner to extract a single piece of paper and a pencil.

Then, very slowly, I began to sketch the shape of a human face.


	16. Chapter 16

**Unfortunately I have to announce that this is the last chapter of this story. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it.**

**I do not own any of the characters or settings.**

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I was right. My drawing of a human figure was just as gorgeous as I had expected her to be. Her hair seemed soft and her skin would certainly feel smooth it I were to touch it. But I was extremely careful not to touch it as I placed the single piece of paper inside of a large envelope and then into the drawstring bag I had found in one of the house's many closets. I slung the bag carefully over my shoulder. I was ready to leave.

It was night time again, but not for long; muted gray sunlight was beginning to lighten the darkness. I could hear the others occupied in their respective bedrooms but I still took extra care to be silent as I crept slowly out of my own room. I breathed deeply in the hallway, concentrating harder than usual on controlling my urges against the lingering human scent. Last night I had been positive that determination alone would get me through this trip. In the face of actually putting my plan into action I wasn't so sure. _No,_ I chided myself. _No negative thoughts allowed._ This was going to work. It had to.

I made my way through the house and toward the back door, wondering without real interest how long I would be gone. Or how long it would take for them to catch me.

I got as far as the backyard before I had my answer.

A hand grabbed my shoulder from behind. I jerked around, snarling. My body automatically shifted into a defensive position.

It was Alice with Jasper two steps behind her. I did not relax my stance.

"Calm down," Alice said. She had one hand held out with the palm up in a supplicating gesture. I did not quiet my snarling.

Fueled by my hostility, Jasper moved protectively in front of Alice. "Relax," he said. Jasper's tone was more commanding then Alice's, but he did not use his ability to actually _make_ me relax.

This fact surprised me, but I only growled more loudly in response to his demand. I would not calm down voluntarily. They were not going to stop me that easily. I was not giving up my chance to say goodbye.

Hastily, I weighed my options.

I could run. But I passed over this thought quickly. I knew from experience how pathetically easy it would be for them to catch me.

I could turn invisible and _then_ attempt to run. I lingered on this possibility. It was tempting. If I could manage it, they wouldn't catch me until I was in the city. Maybe I would even get the time I needed with my sister before they found me. Or maybe they would find me when I was actually near Kriss. My enthusiasm for this option died. The last place I wanted Kriss to be was in the middle of a vampire fight.

An exasperated groan from Alice broke my thoughts. "Jasper," she complained, pushing stubbornly past her mate. "Stop. She won't attack."

I was tempted to spring at her then, just to prove her wrong, but I held my ground. I did not want to attack them if it could be avoided. I wanted to be allowed back in the house when this was over.

Alice held out her hand again, this time as an offer to help me to my feet. "Come on," she said, exasperated with me too now. "We're going with you."

The noises ripping from my chest ceased abruptly, silenced by my shock. I leapt away from the couple, springing upright without Alice's help.

I stared at them blankly from across the stretch of dew covered grass. I had never considered this. I'd known better than to delude myself into thinking that they would be willing to help me. I didn't deserve it.

"Why?" was all I could manage when I finally found my voice. I watched them carefully as I asked, looking for signs that this was a trap. I found none. They weren't alert or tensed in preparation for a fight. In fact, now that my aggression had evaporated, even Jasper seemed calm.

Alice stared back at me incredulously, like the answer to my question should have been obvious. "I saw it."

"Oh." Of course.

Alice crossed the space between us and held onto both of my shoulders so that escaping her would be difficult. She stared up into my face, her expression serious. "You're part of the family now." Alice said. The word sounded out of place to me, _family_ instead of coven. "We help our family. No matter how crazy their ideas are." She winked, teasing me, and I looked away before her enthusiasm could infect me.

I was encouraged since Alice had called my plan crazy instead of dangerous this time. Maybe having them with me increased my chances of success. But I couldn't afford to think like that until I was absolutely sure of their intentions. Alice knew all too well how badly I wanted a family. It was a weakness that they could easily exploit.

Jasper grimaced at me from over Alice's shoulder, no doubt sensing my reluctance. His expression was sour but not unusual so it didn't influence my thoughts. I was used to seeing Jasper like that, it didn't mean anything. I let my eyes wander, searching frantically for a sign that I could trust.

Then my gaze snapped back to Jasper. Impatience colored his face now, his grimace had turned into something closer to a scowl.

And suddenly I believed them.

Because Jasper's expression was _too_ typical. He was not concentrated and intense like he had been the last time he'd tried to kill me. He was not bothering to use his ability to make me trust them so that their ploy would work faster. Instead, he was letting me work through things alone, even though he was obviously frustrated with the slow pace of my thinking. Jasper wanted me to trust them without his influence.

I looked back to Alice. The opposite of Jasper, she was waiting for me as patiently as she had during our last conversation.

"Really?" I asked her softly.

Alice smiled at me angelically and gave a quick nod. Behind her, Jasper echoed only the nod.

"All right," I said, attempting a smile of my own. "Let's go."

Alice's expression turned from encouraging to excited in an instant. "Excellent."

She released my shoulders but grasped my fingers just as tightly. Then she turned and started pulling me back toward the house.

"Hey!" I shouted. "_No_. Stop, Alice!" I began to fight her, struggling with all of my considerable newborn strength against the direction she was dragging me in. It worked. Alice was forced to stop but she kept a firm grip on my hand.

Alice turned only enough so that she could see my face. "Bree," she said, annoyed. "The garage is this way."

"Oh," I repeated lamely.

I let Alice continue to pull me, wondering why we were going to drive instead of run. They probably still did not trust that I wouldn't run away. I didn't blame them, but now, I was sure that I would not flee if I were given the chance. I had fought too hard already. I wasn't leaving.

When we reached the garage I stopped dead.

"Wow," I said in awe, my eyes wide.

I had never been overly fascinated with cars, but I knew enough about them to appreciate the sight that met me now. The wide selection of fast and very expensive cars in this one room was enough to make me wish for the first time that I had been old enough to get a license.

"This way, Bree," Alice called from the passenger side of a black Mercedes. Jasper was already behind the wheel, starting the engine.

I glanced wistfully at a bright yellow Porsche but sighed and went to join them. No need to be any _more_ conspicuous.

I climbed into the back seat of the car and settled myself. When we began to move, all traces of my automobile-induced euphoria vanished. Now that I was actually on my way I could feel fear creeping up on me. Alice had been right the first time: this was dangerous, for me as well as for Kriss. So many things could go wrong….

I wished we hadn't taken a car. I wanted to be running, to be in control of my movements. I wanted to be able to turn back.

"Alice?" I asked quietly. I met her eyes in the rearview mirror.

She crooked an eyebrow at me in question.

"Is it going to be okay?" my voice was barely more than a whisper.

Alice hesitated for the briefest second, a crease formed between her eyes. Then the tension disappeared and she smiled at me. "Yes, Bree. You'll be fine." Her eyes flicked once to Jasper and then back to me.

I was reassured. I knew that was only because Jasper made me feel that way, but this time I didn't care. I didn't want to think about what Alice's hesitation might mean.

I had managed to work myself into the thoughtless stupor that was as close to sleep as I would ever come when Jasper stopped the car. I shook myself and looked around. Beyond the dark tint of the windows I could only see trees.

"Where…" I began, but Jasper was already pointing. Through the front windshield a distant speck of light was visible, an expanse of grass cutting through the woods.

I nodded to myself. It made sense. In my planning, this place, a small park dotted with picnic benches, had been the only place I could think to find Kriss other than at home or school. The plan had not been full proof; Kriss and her friends did not come here every morning before class and they hadn't come at all once the newspaper headlines had turned grim. But today they were here, I could see the shapes of them moving through the park. Alice had chosen correctly. Again.

"Ready?"

"Yes," I lied.

Naturally Alice saw through me, her shrewd gaze told me so, but she opened the car door and got out anyway. Jasper followed her and I trailed sluggishly after them, my breath quickening with each step. I worked to calm down. I had learned quickly that hyperventilating around a human's scent only made things worse.

We advanced until we were only a dozen trees away from the group of people. Immediately, I caught their appealing scent, but before I could do more than sink into a half-crouch, Jasper grabbed my upper arm to restrain me. He moved in front of me and I felt a familiar surge of hatred toward him for holding me back. I was thirsty and I wanted loose. Just one of them, that would be enough to quench my burning thirst. It had been so long since I'd been satisfied. My muscles were tensed to spring, ready to attack the instant I got free, but Jasper's hand held me back no matter how hard I fought against him.

Jasper turned to face me fully, cutting off my view of the humans. "Bree," he said, the calm in his voice marred a little by his strained expression. I pretended that he was having as hard a time as I was and felt slightly better. "Think of her." Jasper pointed over his shoulder, toward the group.

He could not have known which human belonged to me, but his extended thumb drew my eye directly to where she sat. Kriss was alone, sitting at a table away from her peers.

For an instant my breath stopped. The small moment without my sense of smell was enough for me to regain some composure. I reached back and patted the bag still hanging off of my shoulder to remind myself of my purpose. I was not here because of my thirst. I was here to help my sister. To help both of us.

Slowly, deliberately, I took a deep breath and focused on controlling my desire to kill. After a few more breaths I nodded, my resolve firm. I still wanted to sink my teeth into a few throats, but I would not hurt anyone with Kriss so dangerously close. I could not let it happen.

I extricated my arm from Jasper's steel grip and stepped around him.

"I'm ready," I said. It was the truth this time.

I took two steps forward and now I was closest to the group of humans; there was nothing between us but unguarded space. My muscles tensed violently, but I managed to hold myself in place and turn my back on them to face Jasper. Alice was beside him now, their fingers intertwined.

"Thank you," I told them. Even Alice, without the benefit of Jasper's extra sense, would be able to hear the sincerity in my voice. I knew they would understand that my gratitude toward them extended far beyond this trip.

"You're welcome," said Alice with another smile.

Jasper only nodded, but the corners of his lips were turned up too.

Despite my tension, I grinned back. I had never seen Jasper smile.

Then my grin faded and their expressions became serious in response to my now somber face. "Don't let me hurt anyone," I whispered. "No matter what."

I activated my gift, then turned and began walking toward the park without waiting for their confirmation. They would understand the implication in my statement as well as my gratitude. I would rather let them kill me than accidently hurt Kriss.

Control became more difficult as I moved closer. It would be so easy to take just one of them. I would be quick and quiet. The others wouldn't realize what was happening until it was too late… I violently shook my head to clear the images. I couldn't do that. One lapse in control could cause me to spiral into a killing spree that wouldn't allow me to spare anyone. Even Kriss. I wouldn't do it. It would be okay. But suddenly I recognized what Alice's hesitation in the car had meant. Alice had admitted it herself: she could not see what I would do when I was invisible. She had said that I would be all right, but for once she didn't _know _it. I was on my own. I shuddered at the idea and made my steps loud enough for vampire ears. I wanted them to know exactly where I was.

And then, finally, I was standing in front of my sister. My frozen heart lurched at the sight of her. The stabbing despair I felt was enough to drive all thoughts of my thirst to the back of my mind.

Kriss looked so different from my memory of her that it was difficult to believe she was the same person. Her hair was dull and hung lank against her shoulders. She had abandoned make up and hadn't made any attempt to cover up the dark circles under her eyes. I worried that she wasn't sleeping and with fresh sadness realized that this would be the case. Kriss would have trouble sleeping in the room that we used to share. Most likely she'd been using the couch as a bed, even though the hard cushions always made her restless.

Thinking about her pain made my heart hurt, but her eyes were the worst part. They had lost their spark of personality. The light that usually danced in them was completely absent as she thumbed listlessly through a binder, her head resting heavily on her hand. I looked more closely at her papers and had to stifle a gasp. I probably should not have been surprised that she was leafing through my portfolio, but seeing her with the object that I'd spent so much of my human time and effort on was a shock. It brought back happy memories that made my chest tighten painfully.

I wanted to give her a reassuring touch, to hold her and let her know I was here. But I couldn't. Because if I went any closer I would probably kill her. The reminder scorched me more fiercely than my most ravenous thirst.

"Kriss!"

I wished that it was my voice calling out to her, but of course it wasn't. Kriss turned slowly at the sound of her name. I followed her gaze to focus on the other humans standing across the way, close enough for me to reach in one leap if I wanted to. One of them, a tall and gangly boy, was beckoning to her enthusiastically.

Kriss turned back to face in my direction and for a second I didn't think she was going to move. But she sighed and heaved herself up to join the group.

With her back turned, I seized my opportunity. I had to do it now. Otherwise I would never be able to tear myself away from her.

I pulled the bag off of my shoulder and put it on the bench in front of me so that I could see it. I reached inside, extracted the single piece of paper that I had so carefully placed there, and set it on the open page of my portfolio.

My newest sketch was almost an exact replica of the last drawing I'd made as a human: the angel that Kriss had called my best ever. There were just two, striking differences. Unlike in the first picture, this angel's eyes were wide open. They stared up at me, fierce and determined. I admired them. Not because they reflected my enhanced talent, but because they were the first things in any of my sketches to hold color. I had turned the angel's eyes golden.

I looked up from the paper with renewed determination. Kriss was still facing away from me, but I could tell by the set of her body that she was eager to get away from her friends. It was time for me to leave.

I did so unwillingly, picking up my bag in slow motion and walking away backwards so that I could keep her in my sight for a little longer. I couldn't bring myself to turn away from her yet. I made it back to the fringe of trees before Kriss escaped and went slowly back to her table.

She did not notice the new picture until she was sitting again. When she did see it, a crease of confusion appeared between her eyes. I smiled because the expression was so familiar. It made her look like my Kriss again. She gingerly picked up the piece of paper and held it in front of her face, scrutinizing it.

As I watched, awareness and recognition lit her eyes, mercifully causing the deadness in them to disappear.

Then Kriss gasped aloud and jumped up, nearly falling over in her haste. Her eyes darted excitedly around the surrounding forest.

"Bree?" she asked timidly, quietly. I would not have heard her without my newly keen senses.

Amazingly, when no answer came, she laughed. It was a joyous sound, and loud enough that the others looked over and called her inquisitively. Kriss ignored them.

She clutched my sketch, hugging it to her chest, and let out another happy laugh. She looked up at the sky, eyes searching the clouds as they had the forest, looking for me as if I had become an angel rather than a demon.

She was crying now. Tears made their way silently down her upturned face, but her broad smile did not fade.

"Thank you," Kriss said in that same, barely audible voice.

I nodded to her as if we were having a real conversation.

I realized then that my chest was heaving, sobs threatening to break loose from my throat. I clamped one hand over my mouth so that no noise could escape me while the other went to my face, expecting to wipe away tears that could never exist there again.

"Goodbye," I whispered to my sister. "I love you."

Then I ran, casting my invisibility aside as I wished in that moment I could cast aside my immortality.

I skidded to a halt, nearly crashing into Alice and Jasper when I found them. I was shaking and gasping for breath as if my lungs actually needed the air.

Alice did not hesitate. She closed the gap between us and threw her arms around me in a tight hug.

I reciprocated the gesture for the first time, burying my face in her shoulder while I worked to overpower my grief. It was more difficult than controlling the bloodlust. Finally, Jasper placed a tentative hand on my shoulder and helped me to calm down. Slowly, my tremors subsided.

"She's going to be okay now," Alice told me when my breathing became easier. "You did a good thing."

I shook my head against her shoulder, not in disagreement, but in relief. If Kriss would be all right, my pain was worth it.

"You will be too."

I pulled my head away and let out a long sigh. "Yes," I agreed, and as I said the word I knew it was true. "I will be."

Alice released me and took a step in the direction of the waiting car. "Come on," she said, her usual cheerful manner completely restored. "Let's go home."

I allowed myself a tiny smile. I liked the sound of that word. "Yes," I repeated. "Let's."

Alice flashed her teeth widely, grabbed Jasper's hand and began towing him deeper into the forest without waiting to see if I would follow.

I hesitated for a moment, watching them go. I looked back once over my shoulder but Kriss and her friends were no longer there. They had moved on, away from the park.

"Goodbye," I said once more.

And then I firmly turned my back on the empty clearing and began to walk forward, following my family as they led me to my new life.

* * *

**I want to thank everyone who has stuck with this story to the end and especially those who have reviewed it, signed up for any alerts, or added it to their favorites list. I never expected such a great response to my first story. **

**I am probably not done with Bree, I have a few more ideas for her that will most likely develop into another story. When that happens I will post on this story to let you know, but it will only be an author's note so please don't get too excited if you see a 17th chapter.**

**Thanks again to everyone, it's been fun :)**


	17. Author's Note

Hi everybody, I'm finally back :)

As promised, I'm posting here to let you know that I'm going to be posting the first chapter of Bree's next story, "Struggle", tomorrow, so be on the look out. Also, I've spent some time editing this story. It's slightly longer now and hopefully sounds much smoother, especially in chapters 6-10. I'm pretty sure I fixed any typos, but if you find another, please let me know so that I can correct it. Typos drive me crazy.

Can't wait to get the sequel going :)

-_LeKat _

(To those on chapter alert for this story, I'm sorry if you got a lot of e-mails just for this note. I was having trouble posting it.)


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